Fastening device allowing for single-handed operation

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a fastening device that requires only one hand to install, size and secure an object. One example of the fastening device is a belt used as a means for securing a user&#39;s pants. Other examples include securing, with one hand, other objects including hoses, cylinders, containers and the like. The invention also discloses a unique method for aiding permanently or temporarily handicapped individuals for securing objects that they would otherwise be unable to secure.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/627,059, filed on Nov. 12, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Presently belts for holding up pants, trousers and the like have buckles and fasteners in order to secure the belt at a specific dimension or size. The present invention provides a device and method for individuals that may be temporarily or permanently handicapped and therefore only capable of using one hand for securing items. These items may include belts, suspenders, straps, hoses, cylinders, containers, and the like. Some items, such as belts, are constructed with VELCRO as a fastening device, but all of these require the use of two hands in order to be properly secured and in the case of belts and suspenders to be properly sized and secured specifically for the user.

1. Field of Invention

What is proposed is a fastening device such as a belt or the like that would enable a person (handicapped or injured) to properly secure the device with proper dimensions and to a proper size, using only one hand.

2. Description of Prior Art

U.S. Patent Application No. 20030173390A1 to Smith, describes a belt used for holding fishing gear utilizing VELCRO as a fastener.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,836 to Kiser, describes a batting training harness with VELCRO fasteners that is used to train batters in proper arm placement.

GB Patent No. GB9911610 to Strong, describes an adjustable VELCRO belt used in sports.

Japanese Patent No. JP08141133A1 to Ohou, describes a device for securing and carrying online skates utilizing VELCRO as a fastening component.

Chinese Patent No. CN2210560U to Yang, et. al. discloses a self adhesive VELCRO belt.

Chinese Patent No. CN2473929U to Kai, describes a stretchable health care trouser belt connecting node which is a fastener that expands and contracts by manipulation of the user.

European Patent No. EP1072207A1 to Malsoute describes a belt containing an extensible fastener as well.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,505 to Sou, describes a medical belt for lumbar support using a plurality of holes and projections for sizing and fastening.

In all the above prior art the belt and like devices require using two hands when being sized to dimension and/or fastened.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Described herewithin is a fastening device such as a belt, that would be positioned within loops provided, for example, in a pair of pants or trousers. The loops could be contained within other items that require fastening such as tying together hoses, cylinders, containers, etc.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the belt has a hook or barrier device on one end to prevent the belt from being pulled past a first belt loop. The belt is also constructed with VELCRO or other hook and loop fastener at both ends in a manner to facilitate fastening once the belt has formed a loop around the user's waist. The non-barrier end is pulled with one hand around the waist until properly sized and then overlaid on the barrier end such that the VELCRO attaches securely to itself and the belt becomes secure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rendition of the belt with the hook (example) in position on a belt loop in a pair of pants. The non-barrier end [6] would be pulled toward belt loop [3] and overlaid so that hook and loop [5] would then be overlaid on hook and loop [4] pressed together and secured.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

The invention is described as a fastening device such as a belt, that would be positioned within loops provided in a pair of pants or trousers or possibly containers or the like. In FIG. 1 above, the belt [1] has a hook or barrier [2] on one end to prevent the belt [1] from being pulled past the first belt loop [3]. The hook or barrier [2] may be constructed of fabric, metal or plastic. The barrier device [2] could be any component or series of components that would be large enough to prevent passage of the barrier device[2] through the loop [3] such as a common belt buckle. This is necessary because the contact of the barrier [2] and the loop [3] provides a constraint on the belt [1] on one end, as would a second hand provide an opposing force, when applying a force to the non-barrier end [6]. The belt [1] is also constructed with VELCRO or other hook and loop fasteners [4, 5] at the hook or barrier end [4] and the non-barrier end [6] in a manner such that it facilitates fastening once the belt [1] has formed a loop around the user's waist. The non-barrier end [6] is pulled with one hand around the waist until properly sized and then overlaid, hook to loop or loop to hook, on the barrier end [4] such that the VELCRO [4, 5] is properly secured. Securing with the proper force and maintaining the proper pressure after fastening is complete is a function of the user and the requirements of the fastening device.

The belt [1] material may be comprised of man-made or imitation leather, thermoplastics such as vinyl, canvas or other known fastening materials and may be a continuous piece or be segmented with an elastic material between lesser elastic material thereby providing any necessary flexibility.

The hook or barrier [2] may be comprised of metal or plastic or other suitable materials and constructed so that the pulling force of the user does not cause the hook or barrier [2] to break and is of a smooth contour so as to not cut or damage the belt loop [3]. The hook or barrier [2] may be fastened to the belt by adhesive, rivets, or by sewing or by looping and sewing the fastener or belt material.

The VELCRO or other type of hook and loop [4, 5] material may be fastened to the belt [1] material with adhesive, rivets or other means of fastening that will provide a reliable bond. The VELCRO [4, 5] is secured on the outer portion of the belt [1] on the hook or barrier end [4] and on the inner surface of the non-hook/barrier end [6] in a manner so that the belt ends [4, 6], when overlapped and brought in contact with each other, will fasten the belt [1].

For the present example of the invention, the user would take the belt [1] and insert the non-hook/barrier end [6] through the belt loops [3] until the hook or barrier [2] contacts and secures itself on the belt loop [3]. Preferably, for convenience for the user, this would be one of the belt loops [3] at the front of the pants. In the present example, the pants could be either in a position such that the pants are already on the user or the pants could be “pre-secured” prior to the user putting the pants on - as is preferred by the user. The non-hook/barrier end [6] would then continue through the remainder of the series of belt loops [3] until the pants are completely encircled. The pants would then be subsequently placed on the user. The user then may grasp, with one hand, the non-hook or barrier end [6] and continue to exert a force on the non-hook/barrier end [6], drawing it tightly around the waist and overlaying the non-hook or barrier end [6] over the hook or barrier end [4], until the proper securing pressure is realized. The VELCRO [4, 5] would then secure the ends of the belt [1] in the desired size or dimension around the user's waist. A unique feature of the present invention is that only one hand is needed to secure the hook or barrier end [2] on the belt loop [3], encircle the waist, draw the belt [1] tight and secure the belt [1] with the proper size and with the proper securing pressure. The invention describes a single-handed securing method that can also be applied to other than personal clothing. The invention includes the understanding that securing two or more objects together using only one-hand with such a single-handed securing device. This includes, for example, securing two gas cylinders together using a belt-like VELCRO device as presented herewithin. The present invention is also useful for securing other independent devices together such as fire or garden hoses, shipping cartons or containers, etc. whereby a person requires only a single hand to provide the necessary securing arrangement. 

1. A fastening device comprising; a barrier feature which retains one end of said fastening device at a loop; and a hook and loop fastening system for securing said fastening device; wherein said securing of said fastening device is accomplished by using a single hand.
 2. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said fastening device is a belt or strap.
 3. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said loop is optionally part of an object or objects to be secured.
 4. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said barrier feature may be constructed of metal or plastic.
 5. A fastening device as in claim 2, wherein said belt or strap may be constructed of leather, imitation leather, thermoplastic such as vinyl, fabric such as canvas, and wherein said materials optionally exhibit elasticity sufficient to allow for stretching said materials in either a longitudinal or horizontal direction to at least twice an original length of said materials, and wherein said materials may be used in combination with any other materials.
 6. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said barrier feature functions as a component secured to one end of said fastening device.
 7. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said barrier feature is optionally a hook or a barrier feature larger than said loop.
 8. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said device includes said hook and loopfastening system is incorporated minimally on each end of said device.
 9. A fastening device as in claim 1, wherein said device requires no more than one hand to accomplish encircling and secure fastening.
 10. A method for single handedly using a fastening device comprising; providing a starting position wherein said starting position comprises a retained end of said fastening device by a barrier or hook at a loop; encircling an object or objects to be secured with said fastening device; applying a force to an unretained end to complete a circuit around an object or objects; and; contacting said retained one end with said unretained end; applying pressure to both said one end and said unretained end, thereby securing said hook and loop fastening system.
 11. The method as in claim 10, wherein inserting a belt or strap within at least one loop such that said barrier or hook is retained and prevented from moving further in an insertion direction is accomplished.
 12. The method as in claim 10, wherein placing said unretained end around said object or objects to be secured is accomplished.
 13. The method as in claim 11, wherein pulling said unretained end with a force necessary to define a loop or size is accomplished.
 14. The method as in claim 10, wherein maintianing said encircling size or force is accomplished by overlapping and securing said fastening device with said hook and loop fastening system.
 15. A system including a fastening device which comprises; a barrier feature which retains one end of said fastening device at a loop; and a hook and loop fastening system for securing said fastening device; wherein said securing of said fastening device is accomplished by using a single hand and wherein said fastening device is used by; providing a starting position wherein said starting position comprises a retained one end of said fastening device by a barrier or hook at a loop; encircling an object or objects to be secured with said fastening device; applying a force to an unretained end to complete a circuit around an object or objects; and; contacting said retained one end with said unretained end; applying pressure to both said one end and said unretained end, thereby securing said hook and loop fastening system.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein said fastening device is a belt or strap.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein said loop is optionally part of an object or objects to be secured.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein said barrier may be constructed of metal or plastic.
 19. The system of claim 15, wherein wherein said belt or strap may be constructed of leather, imitation leather, thermoplastic such as vinyl, fabric such as canvas, wherein said materials optionally exhibit elasticity sufficient to allow for stretching said materials in either a longitudinal or horizontal direction to at least twice an original length of said materials, and wherein said materials may be used in combination with said other materials disclosed.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein said barrier feature functions as a component secured to one end of said fastening device.
 21. The system of claim 15, wherein said barrier feature is optionally a hook or a barrier feature larger than said loop.
 22. The system of claim 15, wherein said device includes said hook and loop fastening system incorporated minimally on each end of the device.
 23. The system of claim 15, wherein said device requires no more than the use of one hand to accomplish proper and secure fastening.
 24. The system of claim 15, wherein a belt or strap is inserted within at least one loop such that said barrier or hook is retained and prevented from moving further in an insertion direction.
 25. The system of claim 15, wherein said unretained end is placed around said object or objects to be secured.
 26. The system of claim 15, wherein said belt or strap is pulled with a force necessary to define a loop or size.
 27. The system of claim 15, wherein said loop size or force is maintained by overlapping and securing said fastening device with said hook and loop fastening system.
 28. A fastening device kit which comprises; a barrier feature which retains one end of said fastening device at a loop; and a hook and loop fastening system for securing said fastening device; said kit providing for the securing of said fastening device all of which is accomplished by using a single hand.
 29. The fastening device kit of claim 28, wherein said barrier feature is inserted or fastened to a belt or strap.
 30. The fastening device kit of claim 28, wherein said hook and loop fastening system is applied, secured or fastened to a belt or strap.
 31. The fastening device kit of claim 28, wherein fastening of said barrier and said hook and loop fastening system components enables securing of a belt or strap using a single hand. 